Dragon Ball: Chaotic Future Redux
by Arius Miura de Galdri
Summary: A reposting of "Chaotic Future" featuring updated content, spelling, grammar, and continuity error corrections, and a new "Author's Notes" section at the end of each chapter that takes you behind the scenes of "Chaotic Future!"
1. Introduction

**Dragon Ball:**

**Chaotic Future **

*****_**Redux***_

**INTRODUCTION**

It's been four years since I first published "Dragon Ball: Chaotic Future" here on this site, and another three or four years before that when I first began writing it. In that time, I've seen "Chaotic Future" published at a handful of other sites, created my own home page for it, and (believe it or not) watched two people online steal it and claim it as their own. It was, in fact, the most recent occurrence of this that inspired me to go back and slightly rework "Chaotic Future" from the ground up.

This is not, really, a new project. Those of you who have read "Chaotic Future" in the past won't find much new content here (in the actual story, at least), other than a touch-up here and there, but you may find enough to keep you reading through it again. New readers can look forward to experiencing a "perfect" version of "Chaotic Future," a version that I've wanted to do for a long time (I'm something of a perfectionist, and even the smallest spelling, grammar, or continuity error drives me crazy!).

So, aside from the slightly updated content, and the corrected errors that were scattered about throughout the story, you can look forward to the "Author's Notes" section at the end of each chapter. This new addition will go "behind the scenes" of "Chaotic Future," exploring the writing process, the various influences on the story, and answering any question that you, the readers, may have (please send any of your questions to me in a private message, and I'll be sure to feature them in the "Author's Notes" section).

Another difference that many of you will notice is the lack of power levels for "Chaotic Future Redux." I removed these simply because they were more of a hassle than anything else (seriously, take a look at all the reviews for the original "Chaotic Future" and check out how many of them dealt with the "errors" in my power levels). After the Frieza Saga, there are no "true" power levels anyway, and it just seemed like a colossal waste of time to try and make mine "accurate" compared to the endless amounts of other "official" power levels on the internet.

Well, that's it for the introduction! Keep on reading, enjoy the story, and thanks for all of your continued support!

AMdG

Arius Miura de Galdri


	2. Prologue: Forbidden Union

_**The Androids are no more. Cell has been destroyed. And under the watchful eye of Trunks, survivor of the once proud Saiyan race, the battle-weary people of Earth have finally taken their first crucial steps toward a hard-won peace.**_

_**But all is not well…**_

_**On the distant world of Galdria, a young nobleman of Saiyan descent is thrust into a terrible struggle against a vile new enemy, whose sinister agenda will soon put the delicate peace of planet Earth, and the rest of the universe, at stake once again.**_

_**It begins almost twenty-one years ago, on the planet of Galdria…**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Dragon Ball:**

**Chaotic Future**

***Redux***

**PROLOGUE**

"**Forbidden Union."**

The Emperor looked down on the woman in disgust.

Silence dominated the Great Hall of the palace, punctuated only by the quiet weeping of the woman before the throne. She lay prostrate upon the cold stone floor, face pressed down, begging her Lord for forgiveness and mercy. The Emperor's face was a mask of calm, but the trembling of his clenched fists showed his true feelings: disgust, and rage barely kept in check.

Emperor Gilliam had an air about him that could only be called powerful, and his subjects both feared and respected him. A pair of luminescent blue eyes stared down on the woman from a pale, unlined face, and his dark green hair showed little gray despite having ruled for nearly a century, for his people were long-lived and he would not show the ravages of time for many years. The flowing white and gold robes of his office were immaculate, lending him a nearly mythical appearance, which was, of course, their purpose. After what seemed like hours, the Emperor of Galdria, the oldest and most respected planet in its solar system, spoke.

"Arise, Lady Ellia, and prepare to hear your sentence." He spoke through clenched teeth, biting off every world clearly.

Slowly the woman rose, her face pale but her expression firm in spite of the fact that death was almost certainly just days, maybe even hours, away. Her eyes, which were usually a brilliant shade of purple, were now red and bloodshot, lacking the clarity that was usually there. Her light blue hair was a mess after having spent the night in the palace dungeon. She stood proudly before the Emperor, unashamed of the tears that continued to stream down her white cheeks. Again there was a long silence, for all assembled in the hall were listening intently to hear what their ruler would judge.

"Lady Ellia, you have broken our greatest law by entering willingly into a relationship with our most hated enemy, a Saiyan. He has already paid the price for his part in this, and you will do the same. It will be death." He slowly stood from his throne, ignoring the restraining hand of his wife. He walked down the eight steps that separated the Royal Dais from the rest of the hall and stood before the silent, trembling woman. "If you were a commoner then maybe your punishment would not be so fierce, but you are no commoner. You are of the Blood Royal! You are my cousin, and you have been raised to know better!" Gilliam stopped again, and it looked as if he might strike Ellia. He turned and made his way back up the dais.

Quietly, almost too soft to be heard, Ellia spoke. "My Lord Gilliam, I… I loved him. I will make no excuses for my actions, but I ask you one question: why enforce a law that is now completely pointless? Planet Vegeta was destroyed years ago, and Pare may have been the last of his kind." She stopped, overcome with emotion, but after a moment she continued. "He posed no threat to you! It's been hundreds of years since the war between our people, yet you refuse to forget it!" Her words echoed through the hall as she fell to her knees again, lost in her own misery.

Gilliam turned and stared coldly at his cousin. "Love? Feeling love for an _animal_ like that is not possible." His body was trembling as he tried to contain his anger. "How could you forget what his kind did, the damage they caused here?" The Emperor once again turned his back on Lady Ellia, closing his eyes as he tried in vain to hide his wrath. "They killed thousands of our people…"

"And we killed thousands of them!" Ellia shouted as more tears began to stream down her pale face. "Both of our peoples were at fault! Not just his and not just ours!" Ellia's voice broke as she was once again overwhelmed by sadness and desperation. "Why can't you see that? How can you still be jaded by something that happened so long ago?"

Again it was silent, except for several gasps of disbelief that this criminal, royalty or not, would raise her voice to Emperor Gilliam. Pheris, the wife of Galdria's Emperor, sat quietly observing, concern etched upon her beautiful features. More than any of the other nobles assembled in the Great Hall, Pheris understood the hopelessness that Ellia now felt. The condemned woman was now severed from the one thing that she had thought would protect her: her royal status. But Pheris came from a poor family, a family that had never before known the protection granted by royal blood, and it was only by Gilliam's grace that she had ascended to such a high position, although none would argue that her exquisite beauty also had much to do with it. Like all Galdrians, Pheris was fair of skin, with bright pink eyes that seemed to peer into the soul of those she watched. Her dark hair, blue but appearing black unless hit by direct light, was lightly streaked with gray, like her husband's. Beyond the grief of her condemnation, Pheris felt that something else was also troubling the young noblewoman. Rising from her throne, the Empress descended the Royal Dais and faced Lady Ellia.

Pheris spoke without hesitation, her voice quiet so that only the woman before her could hear. "What is it that you're hiding, Lady?" Pheris asked. "There's something about you… Some weight on your shoulders," she paused as Ellia's eyes once again filled with tears. "I understand," the Empress said as she placed a comforting hand on Lady Ellia's trembling shoulder. Turning to face her husband, Pheris again spoke, allowing all within the Great Hall to hear. "This woman cannot be put to death, for by killing her you would be breaking another of our most ancient laws: the murder of an innocent life form." The assembled nobles of Galdria began muttering amongst themselves as Gilliam stood from his throne, all effort to hide his rage now gone.

"Liar!" he growled at his wife. Those nobles gathered in the hall fell silent as the echoes reverberated through the spacious throne room, for never in the long history of their planet had an Emperor dared to insult his wife in public. The Emperor strode down the dais and stood before his wife and cousin, his body shuddering with anger. "What _nonsense_ is this?" he screamed. "She has admitted to breaking our law! We have witnesses who saw the two of them together! She is far from innocent, my wife, and she _will_ be executed!" Gilliam turned and walked toward the entrance of the Great Hall, the echo of his footsteps breaking the tense silence.

"She will not be executed," Pheris said calmly. "She is with child, carrying inside of her an innocent being. By killing her you would also be killing the child, and not even _you_ can break _that_ law." The Emperor stopped, saying nothing for several moments. When at last he turned to his wife, his face was contorted with rage and hatred.

"We will discuss this in private, Pheris, but I assure you that Ellia and the abomination growing within her will both be dead by sundown tomorrow. This court is adjourned. Guards, return the criminal to her cell." With that Emperor Gilliam left the hall, followed closely by his wife, who was lost in thoughts of her own: how was she going to save this unborn child, condemned to death by the crimes of its parents?

* * *

Ellia awoke to the sound of her door being unlocked.

She sat up, trying to get her bearings in the darkened cell. It was impossible to tell what time of day it was, for there were no windows this low in the palace, but she felt as if she'd only been asleep for a few hours. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but her sleep had been restless and she felt no better than she had before. As she let her eyes adjust to the darkness of her cell, Ellia saw a woman come in through the open door. The young noblewoman was shocked to discover who her visitor was.

"E… Empress?" she asked, afraid to believe what her eyes showed her. She bowed low, showing the deference of a commoner to her cousin's wife. "What are you doing here? Surely it can't be morning already." Pheris stood quietly, looking down on Ellia. After several moments tears began running down her cheeks, and Ellia was surprised to see such a show of emotion from her Empress. Realizing what was occurring, Ellia's own tears began to flow. "I'm still to be put to death… My child and I will soon be with its father," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

Pheris knelt down next to the sobbing noblewoman, putting her arm around her trembling shoulders, trying vainly to give as much comfort as she could. Eventually Ellia stopped crying long enough for the Empress to speak. "All is not lost, Ellia," Pheris said softly, patting the young woman's arm reassuringly. "You will be put to death, I could not save you from that fate. You knew the consequences of your actions. I'll not say that what you did was wrong, for love is a strange force, often binding together those who seem to be the most unlikely. But what you did was foolish, and you broke the law." Pheris was silent for a moment, letting her words sink in before she spoke again. "Your child, however, will live."

Ellia looked up, the misery in her eyes replaced by hope as the Empress continued. "Your execution will be put off until the baby is born, but you will remain here in this cell. Once a day you will be allowed out for several hours, to walk and get fresh air. You will be fed well, and you will receive the proper medical attention when the time comes."

Ellia wiped away her tears and took a deep breath to calm herself. When she spoke, her voice sounded weak and afraid to her own ears. "What of my child?" She stood up, helped by Pheris, and looked her Empress in the eyes. "What will happen to my child?" she asked again.

Pheris said nothing for a moment, as if unsure of herself for the first time in her life. Finally she spoke, "Your child will be taken from you before your execution and given over to one of our noble families. It will be raised as a Galdrian Lord or Lady, and it will be educated and given rank in our court. There… There is even a chance that, if your child is a male, he may actually become our next Emperor."

At this Ellia gasped, for of all the possibilities she had considered, her child rising to a position of power seemed impossible to her. "What did you say?" she asked. "Emperor? You must be joking."

Pheris lowered her eyes. "I wish I was… My son, Dorian, left us several years ago on a journey of enlightenment in preparation for his future role as Emperor, as I'm sure you know. Several months ago we lost all contact with him. We… We fear that something may have happened to him; that is why Gilliam was so on edge. But Ellia, please don't think badly of your cousin. This has been harder on him than you think, you know. If contact is not regained with Dorian… If my son is dead… Then your child, if male, will be the closest male kin of Gilliam." Pheris looked at Ellia with a sad smile. "You see, Gilliam would have no say in the matter. It is the law, and not even the Emperor is above the law."

Ellia nodded, relief obviously etched into her features. If she was to die, at least her child would live on. "Thank you, Pheris. You've taken a great load off of my shoulders." Ellia sat upon the hard wooden bench that doubled as her bed as the Empress turned to leave. Before the door was closed, Pheris faced the condemned woman.

"Ellia, you have my word that I will do everything in my power to make sure your child grows up safely. As long as I live, I swear to you that no harm will come to him or her." With that Galdria's Empress exited the dark cell, leaving Ellia alone with her thoughts.

_My child will live on_, she thought as she drifted into an uncomfortable sleep, plagued by dreams of her child's uncertain future.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Well, here we are, the first installment of "Author's Notes!"

I wrote this prologue probably seven or so years ago. In fact, I wrote it and then it took me a year or so before I even picked it up again, editing it over and over again until I was happy with it. Who am I kidding? Here I am years and years later and _still_ editing it!

Anyway, aside from a few minor spelling errors, not much has changed in "Forbidden Union." I did go back and add a sentence or two describing Gilliam in greater detail, mainly because he didn't seem quite as imposing as I'd intended him to be, but it isn't anything that will drastically alter the course of the story.

I think that the most interesting thing about "Forbidden Union" are the allusions to Pare and Dorian, and to their respective Side Stories. I had planned for Dorian to have a Side Story almost from the beginning ("Avenger: A Chaotic Future Side Story" can be found here at this site), but I didn't decide to do one for Pare until much later, only a couple of years ago actually (Pare's story is told in "Survivor: A Chaotic Future Side Story" which can also be found here).

A warning to new readers: Read these Side Stories at your own discretion! Even though they "technically" take place before the main "Chaotic Future" story, they DO contain a lot of spoilers for things that are supposed to come as a shock later on.

Well, that's about it I suppose. Feel free to message me with any questions, and I'll see about featuring them in the next installment.

See you all in the next chapter!

AMdG

Arius Miura de Galdri


	3. Chapter 1: Hunters

**Dragon Ball:**

**Chaotic Future**

_***Redux***_

**CHAPTER 1**

**Hunters Saga, Part I**

"**Hunters."**

They sat silently, watching their prey intently.

It had taken the two Hunters months to discover the bandits' hideout, and now that they knew where it was, nothing would prevent them from taking the outlaws down. The building before them was as far away from civilization as possible, a perfect place to stash the stolen relics that the Hunters were here to recover. The forest that they were hidden in gave the two of them enough cover to hide them from the bandits' prying eyes. They crouched in the sheltering darkness, their long black cloaks helping to camouflage them.

"Miura," the female Hunter whispered to the male. "When do we hit them?" The hunter called Miura sat quietly, as if deep in thought. Slowly he readied his energy rifle, looking at his partner with a slight smile. The girl closed her bright green eyes and sighed. _Maybe I should have just stayed back home at the palace_, the young Galdrian noblewoman thought. She ran a hand through her dark green hair, cut short at the shoulders, and was surprised at the amount of sweat that she found there. The temperature on this planet was anything but warm, but after sitting nearly motionless for hours, her nerves were beginning to wear on her.

"We may as well get this over with now, Z. The longer we wait, the more they get dug in," Miura responded quietly, never taking his eyes from the small, ramshackle building that the bandits were using for their hideout. Zellis only nodded as she too readied her weapon, the standard issue energy rifle used by all members of the Alliance of Bounty Hunters. Not for the first time, she chuckled quietly to herself, for she and her partner had no need for the weapons, but rules were rules, after all. Miura took one last look around, taking in everything he could from his surroundings. "I think we should just charge them. As far as we know there are only two of them, so it should be no problem for us, right?"

Zellis could only nod dumbly, for a reckless charge was not her idea of wise, but Miura usually knew what he was doing. He had always been pretty rash, even when the two of them had been children. Better than anyone on their home planet of Galdria, Zellis could understand Miura's impatience, a trait not shared by most members of their race, and definitely a trait not shared by the other members of Galdria's royal family. Miura was unique, being the offspring of a Galdrian noblewoman and a Saiyan man. Zellis' mother, a high ranking member of the Galdrian royal court, took Miura in and raised him as her own following the executions of Miura's parents, for the union of a Galdrian and a Saiyan was a crime punishable by death. Zellis was born two years later, and Miura had always played the role of the protective older brother to her, and he had even insisted on joining her when she decided to become a licensed Hunter against the will of their family. Everything about Miura told of his odd heritage, from his jet-black hair, which spiked nearly straight up while Galdrians shared characteristically straight hair, to his eyes, which were a piercing purple inherited from his mother, while Saiyans typically had dark eyes. He had power and strength inherited from his warrior father, but he also had his mother's gentle and calm nature as well, if one but took the time to get to know him.

Before Zellis had a chance to protest, her adopted-brother and partner burst out of the forest, running head long toward the small building. Zellis followed shortly after, and for a moment she thought that they might actually reach the building unnoticed. She was wrong. The two Hunters were halfway across the clearing when the bandits opened fire. Zellis was barely able to drop to the ground in time, and she looked up to see Miura take a shot to his left arm. Rather than hit the ground, though, he continued his daring charge.

Lowering his rifle before him, Miura fired five blasts at the building's only window, where the enemy shots were coming from. The first four missed his target all together, but the fifth entered the window, and Miura was rewarded with a grunt of pain as one of the bandits went down, hopefully for good. With a short lull in the oncoming fire, Zellis jumped to her feet and followed after Miura. Upon reaching the shelter, Miura dove into the open window with Zellis close behind.

After entering the outlaws' building, all hell broke loose.

Zellis' vision was filled with flashing lights as she was struck in the back of the head by one of the bandits. Miura managed to knock her attacker back before more damage was done, but in doing so he left his back unguarded. He was barely able to dodge aside as a blast of energy cut through the air right where he had been standing. The half-Saiyan Hunter picked up his adopted-sister and dashed back, putting as much space between them and their enemies as possible. The four fighters stood facing off, none of them making a move, as if sizing each other up before continuing the battle.

Miura set Zellis back on her feet. "Are you alright? That was quite a hit you took," he said, never taking his eyes off of the two outlaws before him. Zellis nodded and took up a fighting stance beside her partner, prepared to fight hand to hand after losing her weapon upon entry of the building.

"What happened?" she asked. "I thought you had at least one of them down before we came in." She studied her enemies, looking for any obvious injuries. Both of them looked basically the same: humanoid, light blue skin and coal-black eyes without apparent pupils. Their hair was a darker shade of blue and, like Miura's, it spiked straight up. They were dressed in what appeared to be torn up old mercenary clothes, well used but not well taken care of. One of them stood a full head taller than the other, but both of them were several inches taller than the two Hunters. "Neither of them looks hurt, it's like they wanted us to get in here," Zellis mused. Miura took his eyes off the bandits just long enough to look at his partner and flash her one of his cocky half-smiles.

"That's exactly what they wanted, to catch us off guard and lure us into a trap." He glared at the opponents before him, seeing his glare mirrored in their own expressions. "I'll bet they knew we were out there all along." Suddenly recognition struck Miura and his eyes widened. "There's something else… Something we didn't expect. Z, these two are Erions, I'm sure of it." The Hunter's eyes narrowed again, not wanting to give his enemies the pleasure of catching him off guard. "That's why my energy rifle shots didn't really hurt them." Any further conversation was interrupted as the two Erion bandits launched their attack.

The larger of the two dashed toward Zellis, lashing out with a powerful spinning kick. The Galdrian Hunter simply put up her arm, taking the blow between her wrist and elbow with a small grunt of pain. The Erion jumped back, surprised that his attack had been blocked by such a slight girl. His hesitation lasted only moments, for this time Zellis was on the attack, striking at her opponent with a flurry of kicks and punches. While nowhere near as physically powerful as her opponent, Zellis had years of Hunter combat training on her side, as well as her own natural speed and agility, and she was able to take anything that the Erion threw at her. It was an obvious stalemate.

Miura jumped aside with surprising speed as the smaller bandit attempted to tackle him to the ground. Looking around, Miura realized that there wasn't enough room in the small building for Zellis and him to fight at their full potential. As the bandit spun back around to face Miura, he was rewarded with the young nobleman's powerful fist colliding with his jaw. He let out a gurgling sound, his jaw obviously broken, and staggered back. Miura followed, delivering another punishing blow, this time a roundhouse kick that snapped the smaller Erion's arm. Glancing over his shoulder, the half-Galdrian saw his partner locked in a furious battle with the larger bandit.

"Z! Let's take this outside, it's too crowded in here!" Miura shouted over the grunts of exertion coming from his sister and her opponent. Zellis nodded, barely noticeable between her constant attacking and defending. The young Galdrian noblewoman jumped back, disengaging herself from her opponent, then dashed forward again, and with a shout of anger she threw all of her strength into one powerful right hook. She took the bandit in the side of his head, just behind the ear, and the force of the blow knocked him right through the wall behind. Miura smiled slightly and grabbed his injured opponent by the front of his ragged, dirty cloak, tossing him over his shoulder and out the open window. The two Galdrians followed immediately after.

"Miura," Zellis gasped between breaths. "What did you mean back there? When you said your rifle shots didn't hurt them?" She looked at her partner out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to take her attention from the two enraged opponents before her. Zellis felt energy beginning to well up around her brother and was amazed at how powerful he truly was.

Miura's expression remained firm as he said, "It's something I remember hearing about a long time ago." As the half-Saiyan continued gathering his energy, a light purple aura began to manifest around his body. "I heard that somewhere, on a planet called Eria, there were people who were immune to energy attacks, all kinds of energy… I thought it was just a rumor." Suddenly Miura's muscles constricted as his body reached its limit, and he shouted as the large aura around him dissipated, leaving only slight wisps of energy coursing around him. "Z, these two may be a little beyond your ability to deal with." As his partner began to protest he shook his head. "Besides," he said with a cocky smile, "you look pretty exhausted from your little tussle back there." His expression again turned serious. "Let me handle this one. Just back me up if I need it, okay?" Zellis nodded and held her fighting stance, prepared to jump in at any time.

Miura was off with an explosion of energy, dashing toward the two bandits and leaving a trail of dust in his wake. With a primal scream of rage, the half-Saiyan Hunter collided with the first of his opponents, the smaller of the two Erions. Without even slowing down, Miura delivered a thunderous backhanded blow to the already injured bandit, knocking him to the ground with a cry of pain. Miura continued forward, flying straight toward the larger Erion. Unfortunately the second bandit was already prepared for the young Galdrian, and he held his ground as Miura lashed out with a powerful kick. The large Erion ducked below Miura's leg and countered with an attack of his own, a thrusting punch meant to take the Hunter in the side of his head. Only Miura's seemingly supernatural reflexes saved him from the crippling blow as he dropped to his knees, allowing the Erion's attack to pass harmlessly overhead. The two warriors, Saiyan and Erion, backed away from each other, knowing that each of them faced an opponent worthy of caution.

Miura stood ready, panting and gasping for breath. _Damn_, he thought. _I was hoping to take both of them out in that charge, but now I've wasted too much energy to finish this guy quickly… I'll just have to wear him down. _The Hunter cast a sideways glance at the smaller Erion, still lying on the ground, unconscious or dead, Miura didn't know which. _If that other one manages to get enough strength to rejoin the fight, I could be in trouble. _Miura took a deep breath and turned his glance toward Zellis, who had concern for her partner clearly etched on her features. _She still hasn't regained much strength from the fight in the building; it looks like I'm on my own for now._ The Galdrian nobleman returned his attention to his opponent, who was also showing signs of exhaustion and apprehension. For a long time neither fighter moved, as if allowing each other this small moment of rest before the battle began once again. Miura took another deep breath and clenched his fists, drawing on his last reserves of energy. The Hunter was about to attack when he felt energy gathering around his opponent, and he watched in stunned silence as the large Erion powered up to his maximum fighting ability.

"Oh no," Miura whispered as the bandit saw his opening in the Hunter's defenses. He rushed Miura and nailed the Saiyan with a rib-crushing blow to the chest. The young half-Galdrian cried out in pain as he was sent hurtling backwards, striking the ground hard. He was barely able to roll aside as the Erion's leg smashed into the ground where Miura had just landed. Taking advantage of the situation, the young Hunter grabbed his opponent's leg and threw him as far as he could, trying to get some distance between himself and the Erion. Miura jumped to his feet as the bandit stopped himself in mid air. The Erion's body was trembling with rage, having obviously hoped to kill his opponent by now. He slowly took a breath, allowing himself to calm down as he ascended higher into the air.

_So_, Miura thought. _He wants to take this fight into the air, huh? Fine by me._ Miura began to float slowly upward, much to the surprise and irritation of the Erion. Suddenly the bandit increased his speed, and he was soon soaring high above the Galdrian nobleman. With an alien scream of frustration, he pointed both of his hands toward Miura and unleashed a powerful blast of energy. The young Saiyan's eyes opened wide in astonishment as he watched certain death descending quickly upon him. He flew back as fast as he could, hoping to outrun the Erion's attack, but even as he did so the blast began to pick up speed. Suddenly Miura landed and crossed his arms in front of him, prepared to take the full force of the Erion's energy blast. _I'm too weak to take this hit_, Miura thought. _Even if I manage to somehow survive this, I'll have nothing left!_ The Hunter screamed in anger as the blast approached him, making his black cloak blow and whip around him in the ever increasing gusts of wind.

Time seemed to slow down as Miura held his ground, waiting for the Erion's attack to reach him. _Here it comes!_ he thought as he clenched his eyes shut. Just before the blast hit him, the young Hunter felt another presence interpose itself between him and the Erion's attack. Miura opened his eyes and saw Zellis standing before him, her body surrounded by a blinding energy aura as she summoned all of her Galdrian power, a skill that Miura still couldn't manage to utilize. She pulled her arm back, balling her hand into a tight fist, and with everything she had she knocked the energy blast away. Into the distance it flew, until it crashed into the surrounding mountain range with a deafening explosion and a blinding flash of light. Miura smiled as he looked at his adopted-sister, whose slender body was now surrounded by a bright green and silver aura. Her cloak, which before had looked torn and dirty, now appeared miraculously clean, and it seemed to glow with some inner light. Slowly Zellis' power began to decrease, and the light around her faded.

The three fighters held their breath for a moment, each side unsure of their next move. The large bandit descended back down to the ground, unmasked disgust showing clearly upon his face. Slowly, menacingly, the Erion began walking toward the two Hunters. Miura could tell that the bandit was weaker now after having thrown so much energy into his last attack, but even with his depleted power the Erion was still strong enough to destroy the two Galdrians.

"Z," Miura whispered between breaths. "I have an idea, I just need you to watch the smaller one. I could swear that I saw him move a minute ago… He might be trying to catch us off guard." Out of the corner of his eye, the young Galdrian nobleman saw his partner nod. Miura began focusing as much energy as he could for one last charge against the Erion bandit, who had slowed his advance after seeing the two Hunters whispering amongst themselves. Without another word Miura dashed toward his opponent.

The bandit held his ground and took a defensive stance as the young Hunter closed in on him. Miura let out a scream of rage as he made contact with the Erion. Pulling his left fist back for a powerful strike, Miura watched as the bandit shifted his defenses to counter the blow, just as the half-Saiyan had hoped. Suddenly Miura dropped to his knees and delivered a crippling right uppercut to the large bandit's abdomen. Before the Erion could even utter a cry of pain, Miura jumped up and pulled a long, thin blade from within his cloak. The young Hunter's feet had barely hit the ground when the bandit fell backwards, the blade protruding from his right eye socket.

Miura felt more than saw the smaller bandit rushing towards him. The young Hunter turned to face his next opponent, but Zellis was already upon him. Due to her incredible speed, she seemed to materialize above the small Erion, coming down on him with as much strength as she could muster. A cloud of dust and earth burst up from the ground as Zellis smashed the bandit down with all of her power. A sickening crunch came from deep within the Erion's body, and the bandit screamed in anguish before going completely silent.

Miura let his body relax as he dropped to the ground, sitting up and trying to catch his breath. Zellis walked towards him, brushing the dirt from her cloak. "Good job," she told her brother. "But you're lucky he fell for your feint." Miura could only nod as he lay back on the ground.

"I knew he would," the young Galdrian said as he stared into the sky, now slowly fading into dusk. He leaned up on one arm to look at Zellis. "Thanks. I don't think I had enough energy left to finish that smaller one." He looked past Zellis and grinned as he saw the crater in the ground behind her. "A little unnecessary though… We were only supposed to recover the stolen goods."

Zellis shrugged. "They shouldn't have resisted." Miura laughed as he slowly stood up. Zellis walked over to where the large Erion lay unmoving on the ground. She crouched over him and pulled the blade from his eye, wiping the blood off on the dead bandit's clothing. "Well, let's get what we need and get out of here. I'm ready to go home."

Miura gave her a small smile and nodded. "Home."

* * *

_Seven months earlier…_

The flowers were in full bloom as Miura made his way to the Princess' garden.

The day was slowly coming to an end, and the first few stars could now be seen in the purple sky of twilight. His last job had been pretty messy, and he was glad to be back home after so many months away. The young nobleman reached into his cloak and pulled out the envelope that had been delivered to him upon his return to the palace earlier that day. He smiled as he read the note inside:

"_Arius, I didn't believe my father when he said you'd be returning today!_

_It seems like it's been forever since we were together, and I'd like to see_

_you as soon as possible. Come to my garden when you can, I'll be waiting._

_Elysia."_

The young Hunter was forced to smile again. Only Elysia and her father, Emperor Gilliam, insisted on calling him by his official name, Arius Miura de Galdri. He shook his head and sighed as he tucked the note away and entered the Royal Gardens. Miura stopped and smiled slightly as he saw a young woman seated on a bench not far from where he stood, her face hidden behind a large book. She sat with her legs stretched out and crossed in front of her, feet resting on the ledge of a raised bed of indigo flowers. The robe she wore was a dark shade of blue, hemmed at the edges with a delicate gold thread, and the sleeves, which were far too large, had slid down near her elbows, revealing the pale, soft skin of her forearms. As Miura approached, the girl lowered her book and caught sight of him. Her hair was jet black, a rarity among full-blooded Galdrians, and was cut just above her shoulders, showing off her long, slender neck to very good effect. Her features were delicate, and her eyes, which were a bright shade of pink, seemed to glow within her pale face, which lit up as she tossed her book aside and leapt from the bench, jumping into Miura's arms.

"I can't believe you're back," she cried as she buried her face in Miura's shoulder, her body shuddering as she sobbed against him. Miura put his arms around her and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She looked up at him and smiled, her face streaked with tears. "I'm so glad to see you, I was worried sick. Is Zellis alright? I'd heard she was injured when you arrived." Elysia closed her eyes and laid her head against the Hunter's chest as he held her close.

"Z's fine," he answered, stroking her hair softly. "She took a pretty nasty shot to her arm, but she'll be alright. As for me, I'm just glad to be back, with you. But…" Miura's voice trailed off as Elysia took a step back from him, her face clouded with worry. As Miura lowered his eyes and turned his back to her, the young Galdrian Princess crossed her arms over her chest.

"But what?" Elysia asked. "Arius, what is it?" She walked over to her unofficial fiancée, placing a trembling hand on his shoulder.

Miura slowly turned to face her. "I won't be able to stay long, I'm afraid." Elysia looked down at the ground as Miura continued. "Z and I have another assignment. We'll be leaving as soon as she's healed up. A shipment of extremely valuable historical relics was stolen from a cargo ship as it was being refueled at a Way Station near Tura. We've been selected to recover the cargo." He brushed a few stray hairs out of Elysia's face before tilting her chin up to kiss her as he slipped his arms around her waist. After a moment he continued. "Z should be fit enough to leave in a week or two, then it may be a long time before we can see each other again."

Elysia nodded as she looked into his eyes. "Then let's not waste what time we have together worrying about it. Come on, Mother and Father have invited you to join us for dinner tonight." The young Princess smiled as she kissed the half-Saiyan Hunter lightly on the cheek. "And after that… Who knows?" Miura nodded as she slipped her arm through his and led him into the palace.

* * *

"Miura! Miura, wake up, we're getting a distress signal!"

Miura slowly opened his eyes, still half asleep as he looked around, unsure of what was happening. "What… Elysia?" Suddenly he remembered where he was. He must have drifted off to sleep after setting the ship's autopilot coordinates. He stood up from the control seat of his small star cruiser and rubbed the last remnants of sleep from his eyes. "What is it, Z?"

Zellis was standing at the main control screen with her back to her partner. "I'm not sure, but it looks like someone is broadcasting some kind of distress signal… they sure are using an out of date code though." She turned to Miura with a grin on her face, looking comically sinister in the dim lighting of the ship. "Think they'd give us a reward for helping them out?"

Miura shrugged as he walked toward the screen, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Go ahead and put it through. We may as well help them out if it's on our way back to Galdria." The young Hunter crossed his arms as Zellis began the communication process. Within moments the face of an elderly man appeared on the control screen in front of the two Galdrian nobles. His skin was slightly darker than average, and it made his silver hair and beard stand out all the more. He bore a long scar on the left side of his face that went from forehead to mid-cheek, and his eyes were dark, looking almost black on the computer screen.

"Hello out there," the old man said with a grin. "Didn't actually think there'd be anyone else around this far out. My name is Seth, and I'm the owner of the cargo ship _Gelnika_. It seems I misjudged my fuel situation… My crew and I have been stranded out here for two days, our food, water, and oxygen supplies are running low. We don't have much time left, I'm afraid."

Miura looked over at another monitor that was currently displaying a chart of the surrounding star systems. He narrowed his eyes as something caught his attention. "Why don't you send a request for aid to that planet down there? My chart says it's called Applicah; I'm sure it should have some kind of rescue outpost." The young half-Saiyan looked back at the communication screen, seeing a look of distress come over the old man's face.

Seth shook his head and let out a short chuckle. "I'd rather not ask for help from Applicah. I used to live there, you know. Their so-called 'rescue outpost' is corrupt beyond imagination. I'd rather take my chances out here, thank you very much." The old man wiped sweat from his forehead as he continued. "Applicah is out of the question, young man."

Miura stood silent for a moment, contemplating everything Seth had just told him. "How large is your ship, and how many crew members do you have?" the Galdrian Hunter finally asked after several moments of silence.

Seth wiped more sweat from his brow as he replied. "My ship is an L-Class Cargo Cruiser, and my crew consists of myself, my daughter, and my bodyguard. I'm on a special assignment to deliver this cargo to some Hevan big shot named Mylember." A look of exhaustion came over the old man's face. "I'm already two days late, and you know how those Hevans can be. I'll be lucky if I get even half of my pay."

Zellis narrowed her eyes slightly. "Three crew members for an L-Class? You've got to be kidding me. Where's the rest of your crew?" Miura looked at her out of the corner of his eye, noticing the look of suspicion on her face.

Seth scowled. "There are no other crew members; I haven't the money to hire extra assistance these days." He sighed as he looked down. "It seems I've come upon some hard times of late, you know how it is." The old man's scowl turned to a wry smile as he continued. "Besides, some of my business isn't always what you may call 'legal,' so getting good help can be very hard sometimes. Actually, I'd rather not go into the details of it if you don't mind."

Zellis and Miura looked at each other as if some silent communication had passed between them. The half-Saiyan Hunter looked back toward the screen. "Give us a moment to discuss this. We'll contact you shortly." With that Miura shut off the view screen and sat back down in his chair. "What do you think, Z?"

Zellis shrugged as she leaned against the control panel. "I'm not sure. His story sounds odd to me, but he did say that a Hevan was involved. Due to our alliance with planet Heva, it's our duty as Galdrian nobility to help them out, I guess." She smiled at her adopted-brother. "Besides, if it is a trick I'm sure we can handle some old man."

Miura nodded as he rested his head in his hand. "It's not the old man I'm worried about," he said as he stared at the blank monitor. "It's the bodyguard."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Well, chapter one is finished and we've met our two main characters, as well as Princess Elysia, who plays a big part in the story as well.

This chapter has already underwent _extensive_ rewrites over the years, and I was not at all looking forward to rereading it again honestly. As always, though, once I got into it I forgot all about my worries and simply got to work (not that there was much work to do).

The only significant change in this chapter came at the beginning, just after Zellis makes reference to the energy rifles that she and Miura are carrying. It bothered me a little that these two powerful, energy-flinging characters were armed with these weapons, but at the same time I've always loved the image of the two of them crouched in the shadows of the forest, their long rifles leaning casually on their shoulders. Basically, as official Hunters, Zellis and Miura are required to rely upon the weapons as part of their jobs, though they often do simply fall back on their natural gifts more often than not.

Speaking of Hunters, we've also been introduced to the idea of a licensed, "official" group of bounty hunters that can be contracted by just about anyone to take on certain jobs and missions. Those of you familiar with the anime "Iria: Zeiram the Animation" will immediately notice the similarities, I'm sure. "Iria" has always been one of my favorite anime, and this is a tribute to that fantastic series.

Looking a bit ahead, we've also learned about the Hevans (who will, as a race, play a significant part later on), and we've heard mention of "Mylember" in particular. New readers, remember that name, as it will be incredibly important later on!

That about covers this first chapter, I'd say. Remember, feel free to send me any questions or comments!

On to the next chapter!

AMdG

Arius Miura de Galdri

* * *

_**In the next chapter:**_

_**While attempting to rescue Seth and his crew, the two hunters discover that they are the target of a powerful new enemy, one who will stop at nothing to destroy Miura…**_

_**Dragon Ball: Chaotic Future *Redux***_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Hunters Saga, Part II**_

"_**Rescue." **_


	4. Chapter 2: Rescue

**Dragon Ball:**

**Chaotic Future**

_***Redux***_

**CHAPTER 2**

**Hunters Saga, Part II**

"**Rescue."**

The airlock hatch opened slowly with a hiss.

Miura and Zellis stepped on board the _Gelnika_, welcomed by the old man himself. The two Galdrians were surprised to see how short he was, for only his face had been visible during their communications. He wore a drab, olive green jumpsuit and big black boots and gloves that would have made him look comical if it wasn't for the large broadsword that he had strapped to his back. He smiled as he walked toward the two Hunters, arms wide open in a gesture of friendship.

"Ah," Seth said as he looked Zellis up and down. "You are much more beautiful in person, darling. The rumors of Galdrian beauty appear to be true, I see. And you, young man," he said as he turned his glance to Miura. "What power you possess. You must be a great Hunter indeed." Miura raised an eyebrow as Seth turned his back to the two Hunters and began walking swiftly down a long corridor, dimly illuminated by the amber glow of the _Gelnika's_ emergency lights. The Galdrian nobles stood silently for a moment, listening to the echo of Seth's footsteps as he slowly walked out of sight.

Zellis looked at Miura and gestured for him to go first, and the half-Saiyan rolled his eyes as he began following the old man. "What did you mean back there?" Miura asked as he caught up with Seth, Zellis following close behind. "Surely you can't sense power levels without some sort of device; I don't think that's possible." Seth only smiled as he continued walking, not slowing his pace at all.

"There are many skills that one can master, if one but takes the time to try," Seth responded as he looked at Miura out of the corner of his eye. "I have a feeling there's a lot that you could learn if you'd only attempt something new." He stopped before a large blast door with a keypad installed into the wall next to it. He turned to Miura and Zellis, raising his eyebrows as he cleared his throat theatrically.

"Oh, sorry," Miura said as he and Zellis turned their backs to the mysterious old man, allowing him to enter the code in secret. Zellis looked at Miura and cocked her head to the side, frowning slightly. The half-Saiyan Hunter only shrugged and grinned. He had already taken a liking to the old man, and he felt that there was a lot that someone like Seth could teach him. The two Hunters heard the door slide open, and they turned to see Seth gesturing to them to follow him inside.

"You'll have to excuse the lighting in here," the old man said as he walked into a large chamber, which Zellis and Miura assumed must be the bridge. "After the fuel cells were depleted, the power was completely shut down, so now we're running on backup power. I suppose it could be worse though," Seth said with a grin. "We could have no power at all." Miura took a few steps into the chamber and halted suddenly. He narrowed his eyes as he scanned the room, for he had the feeling that someone was watching him from the murky darkness.

Miura quickly jumped back as a form flew at him from a shadowy corner, throwing a punch right where the young nobleman had been standing only moments before. The figure, which Miura couldn't fully see due to the dim lighting of the chamber, appeared to be large, probably several inches taller than him. Miura crouched down as a leg cut through the air just above his head. The Galdrian Hunter jumped back several feet, sliding across the metal floor as he quickly got into a defensive stance. Zellis stood ready for a fight just behind and to the right of him, and Seth stood calmly off to the left, his arms crossed over his chest. Miura's attacker was nowhere to be seen, but the half-Saiyan could still feel his presence nearby. Seth raised his hand to halt the assault of Miura's mysterious opponent.

"That's enough, Clef," Seth said sternly as he walked toward Miura and laid his arm on the young Galdrian's shoulder. "I think that he's proven himself to be genuine." Seth, noticing Zellis' questioning look, smiled and patted her on the arm. "You must understand, darling. There are many dangerous people in this universe, some of which wouldn't hesitate to impersonate a Hunter just to get their hands on my cargo. However," he said with a smile, "there are very few common crooks in this galaxy with enough skill to match my bodyguard. Seth moved away from Miura and Zellis, standing in the middle of the dim bridge. "Clef, it's alright to show yourself now; I feel confident that these two mean us no harm. And if they do pull anything," the old man said with a grin, "then you may do as you please with them."

Miura slowly let his guard down as a tall figure emerged from the shadows just behind him. The young Hunter was startled at just how close his opponent had managed to get to him, and he was more than a little embarrassed. The clothing worn by Miura's attacker was fairly commonplace: dark blue, baggy pants and a long, sleeveless black jacket that hung down to his knees. His shoes were unusual, appearing to be some kind of light colored leather, without any apparent laces. The most striking thing about the mysterious attacker was the color of his skin, which was a dark green, with strange pink muscle patterns and striations along his exposed arms and stomach. Miura studied the stranger's face and noticed the thick, hairless ridges that protruded just above his dark eyes. From out of the green-skinned warrior's forehead there rose two short, thin antennae, and the head itself was hairless and smooth. The assailant's ears were pointed at the tops, as the two Galdrians noticed when he turned his head toward Seth and whispered something to the old man.

Suddenly a realization came to Miura. "You're a Namekian!" At this, Seth and the warrior he had called Clef ceased their whispered conversation. The old man smiled at the young nobleman, but the Namekian simply glared at him. Miura nodded as he continued, "I've heard of the green-skinned people from Namek, but I never thought I'd actually meet one this far from their home world. And from the way you attacked me back there you're obviously a power warrior, which is a rarity among your people, you tend to be rather peaceful… if I'm not mistaken, that is." Seth chuckled and looked up at Clef, noticing for the first time the scornful look that his bodyguard was giving Miura.

Seth elbowed the Namekian in the ribs and scowled, but Clef ignored him and strode forward, stopping only a few inches away from Miura. "And _you're_ pretty knowledgeable for a Saiyan, which a rarity among your people… if I'm not mistaken, that is," Clef said, obviously mocking Miura. The Namekian warrior smiled coldly at the expression of surprise on the Hunter's face. Miura turned to Zellis, alarm etched clearly into his features. She was too shocked to do anything, for in all their years as Hunters no one had ever guessed her adopted-brother's secret. All Saiyans had one major feature that was obvious for anyone to see: the long, fur-covered tail that they tended to keep wrapped tightly about their waists. Miura, though, had no tail, for it had been removed at birth at the command of Emperor Gilliam, so that the child could better fit in among the Galdrian people. Seth stood dumbfounded for a moment before breaking out into one of his loud chuckles.

"Nonsense, Clef. The Saiyans are extinct, my friend; I think you're finally losing your mind." Seth continued laughing, ignoring the sharp stare of his Namekian bodyguard. "It's been about fifty years since planet Vegeta was destroyed, give or take." He stopped laughing for a moment as he looked Miura over again, raising an eyebrow as he seemed to notice the Galdrian's unusual spiky hair for the first time. "Now, I'll admit that for a Galdrian his hair's a little strange, but he doesn't look like he could be twenty years old, let alone fifty."

Miura's hand slowly grasped the handle of his energy rifle, which he kept concealed within his long black cloak. The weapon would have enough power to stun the old man, and hopefully the bodyguard, without doing the serious damage that an attack with his own power might inflict. Zellis noticed this as she too began to reach for her weapon.

Suddenly Clef let out a short chuckle. "Don't bother with your weapons; I could care less whether you're a Saiyan or not, and they'd more than likely have no effect on me anyway. You know, you aren't the first Saiyan I've met, although it's been a long time. I was just a child then…" Clef's voice trailed off, as if he was lost in some private memory. Eventually the Namekian warrior strode forward, laying his hand on Miura's shoulder. "Actually, I have some information that you may be interested in, but we'll get to that later. For now, I'm just glad you took it easy on me earlier." Clef smiled slightly, seeing the relief that came over the young half-Saiyan's face. "Despite all of the training I've had, I doubt that I'd stand a chance against a Saiyan. At least not according to the stories I've heard."

"Enough," said Seth as he made his way to a door on the right side of the bridge. "Let's move this conversation somewhere a little less dreary." Miura and the others followed the old man as he entered another room, smaller and illuminated entirely by candles. Sitting at a short, square table in the center of the room was one of the most beautiful women Miura had ever seen, which was quite a feat considering the fact that he had been raised among the legendary beauties of planet Galdria. Her light pink hair was long, flowing down her back and over her shoulders. Her face was perfectly proportioned, and her eyes were a brilliant shade of maroon. She looked tall, though it was hard to judge with her sitting down, and she was built like a dancer: slender arms and waist, small breasts, and long, beautiful legs. She wore a jumpsuit like Seth's, but it was skin-tight and showed off her figure perfectly. The old man smiled proudly at the girl as he walked around the table, bending to kiss her on the cheek.

"Twilight, I'd like you to meet our saviors, Miura and Zellis. They're Hunters from Galdria, and they were gracious enough to hear me out." Turning toward the Hunters, Seth smiled and put his arm around the girl. "Zellis, Miura, this is my daughter, Twilight." The girl rose from her seat and made her way towards the two Galdrians. She smiled and hugged them each in turn.

"Thank you so much for going through all the trouble to help us. You have no idea how much this means, since we were almost out of supplies and would surely have died if not for you." She made her way back to the table, gesturing for the others to join her. After all of them were seated, Zellis spoke up.

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure what we can really do in a situation like this. We don't carry many extra fuel cells on our ship, certainly not enough to power a cruiser this size." She looked down at the table and shook her head. Everyone was silent for several minutes, not knowing what to say. It seemed Seth and Twilight's hopes had been crushed, and Clef merely leaned back in his seat, obviously deep in thought. The sound of Miura clearing his throat broke the silence.

"There is one way." At this Twilight and her father seemed to perk up slightly. They both looked at him, silently imploring him to continue. Miura met their questioning gazes for a moment before lowering his eyes. "Unfortunately it would involve you abandoning your cargo here. The three of you could board our ship and we'd take you to the nearest planet or Way Station. From there you could hire a salvage crew to come and pick up your cargo." Again there was a long silence, until Seth spoke up.

"No… Leaving our cargo is out of the question. Space pirates and privateers could easily find the ship with their deep space probes." He looked at Miura and shook his head. "Besides, the Hevans won't accept any excuses…" Seth's voice trailed off as he rested his head in his hands. The two Hunters looked at each other, neither of them able to think of an easy solution to the problem. Zellis was about to speak when a soft beeping began emanating from within her cloak. She jumped up from her seat and pulled out a small device. Immediately Miura was up and heading towards the door, Zellis close behind. The other three remained seated, unsure of what to do. Seth stood and followed the Hunters into the bridge. "What's the matter? Zellis, Miura, is something wrong? What's going on?" The two Galdrians made their way back towards the airlock, readying their weapons as if in preparation for battle.

"It's an incoming signal from our ship," Miura said as he continued walking. "It means that an unidentified cruiser or probe has made it through our sentry points." As the Hunters reached the airlock, Miura stopped and turned to Seth. "I suggest that you and your daughter get somewhere safe. For something to make it so far into our defenses without first sending some kind of transmission isn't a good sign." Suddenly the _Gelnika_ shook violently, tossing the three of them to the ground. The dim emergency lights flickered several times but remained on, though their color had now changed from amber to red. Miura stood and looked at Seth. "You have much more to worry about now than your cargo… I think you've been boarded."

* * *

Clef shut the door firmly behind him.

He slowly walked through the bridge, making his way to a large blast door several yards away. After opening the door, Clef stepped through into a long corridor leading slightly downward, moving closer and closer to the immense power he had felt boarding the _Gelnika_. The Namekian had sensed some dread drawing closer to the cruiser for the better part of an hour, right around the time that the two Galdrian Hunters had arrived on board. After the explosion that had rocked the ship, Clef had commanded Twilight to remain in the room, and to lock the door behind him after he had left. _Not that a locked door will protect her from the power that _I'm_ sensing right now_, he thought as he moved deeper and deeper into the bowels of the ship.

After creeping through the darkness for several minutes, Clef came upon one of the _Gelnika's _empty cargo bays. It was a large chamber, easily three times the size of the bridge, which was now several levels above him. _A perfect place to await my opponent… And a perfect place for a fight._

The Namekian warrior didn't have long to wait, for he felt the power of the mysterious invader enter the chamber through a doorway directly across from the entrance Clef had used. The footsteps of the mysterious attacker echoed through the empty cargo hold, slowly making their way closer to the Namekian, who now stood ready for battle.

"Well, well, what have we here?" asked a voice out of the darkness. "A Namek, huh? Too bad. I was hoping that I'd get to fight someone a little more challenging." The intruder continued walking toward Clef until his outline could be seen by the Namekian. It seemed to the green-skinned warrior that the assailant had hair very similar to that of Miura's: dark, probably black, and spiked straight up, lacking only the Hunter's one small spike that hung down over his forehead. The invader's clothing, though hard to see clearly in the dim lighting, looked like a baggy black jumpsuit, cinched at the waist with a tight, black belt. As he continued to approach Clef, the Namekian saw that the stranger also wore a long black cape and black gloves, whose knuckles were capped with short spikes. Clef narrowed his eyes as the mysterious invader stepped into the red light, which was shining down from the ceiling far above them. The Namekian gasped as he now clearly saw the resemblance between his soon-to-be opponent and Miura. The attacker could easily have been his twin, though Miura looked slightly younger than the stranger. Miura's hair, while also spiked, seemed to be slightly shorter, and it had a different looking texture than the hair of the invader. But it was clear to Clef what this stranger truly was.

_Another Saiyan!_

The Saiyan warrior continued his advance, seemingly undaunted by Clef's presence. "Stand aside, Namek scum, you're not the one I'm here for." When he saw that Clef had no intention of letting him pass, the mysterious Saiyan warrior stopped and crossed his arms, laughing. "Very good, very valiant, I'm sure your friends would be _very_ proud of you… But this _is_ your last chance." The warrior's face became a mask of rage when Clef still stood his ground. "Fine!" the Saiyan shouted. "You've made your last mistake, Namek!"

The Saiyan was upon Clef so fast that the Namekian didn't even see his movements. It was too late to put up any kind of defense as the Saiyan warrior drilled Clef in the side of the face, his spiked gloves digging into the Namek's flesh and knocking him across the room. The intruder bared his teeth and screamed in rage as he flew after Clef, who was still reeling from the blow, dark purple blood running down the side of his face. Again the Saiyan made contact as he gave Clef a roundhouse kick, smashing the green-skinned warrior into the solid metal wall. Clef could only sit there, half-embedded in the wall and in a daze as the mysterious assailant began walking toward him, cracking his knuckles and laughing.

"Well Namek dog, have you learned your lesson yet?" The Saiyan flashed a sinister smile at the injured Namekian. "Now," he said as he grabbed Clef by the face and threw him to the ground at his feet. "You will beg me for mercy." The green-skinned warrior slowly struggled to his hands and knees, his body trembling slightly. The Saiyan invader's face, which was still set in an evil smirk, quickly changed to a look of surprise and hatred as Clef looked him in the eyes and spat on the attacker's black boots. The Namekian's opponent looked down on him in disgust. "Ungrateful wretch," the Saiyan said through clenched teeth. "I offered you a chance to live, all you had to do was beg, and this is how you—" He stopped short as an aura of energy began to manifest itself around the warrior at his feet.

Suddenly the energy exploded outward in a wave, blowing the Saiyan across the chamber as Clef jumped up from the ground and dashed at the startled intruder. The Namek threw a flurry of blows at the mysterious Saiyan, landing several solid hits, then jumped back and fired a blast of energy at his opponent. The Saiyan warrior gasped as the blast collided with him, exploding in a flash of blue light and knocking him backwards into the opposite wall. The chamber shook from the impact, and Clef ran at the dazed Saiyan, not allowing him any time to recover. The Namekian lashed out with a devastating kick, which the Saiyan easily blocked, surprising Clef with a left hook that smashed the green-skinned warrior into the ground. Clef screamed in pain as the Saiyan came down on him, driving his knee into the Namekian warrior's back.

The black-clad warrior began laughing as he ground his knee into the small of Clef's back, eliciting more screams from the Namekian. The intruder's eyes opened wide in surprise as he felt a strong pressure around each of his arms. He looked left and right, grunting in anger as he saw the source of the problem. Clef's arms were stretched out to unbelievable proportions, and were wrapped tightly around the arms of the Saiyan warrior. The intruder gasped as he was pulled off his feet, and he cried out in pain as Clef came down on him with all of the strength he could muster. The Namekian drove his foot into the abdomen of his opponent, crushing the Saiyan warrior into the ground. The black-clad intruder spit out a mouthful of blood and clenched his eyes shut as he gasped in pain.

The mysterious Saiyan warrior thrust his arm towards Clef, firing a blue burst of energy at the face of the Namekian. Clef tilted his head to the side and sprang back, sliding across the floor as his arms retracted back to their original length. The Saiyan jumped to his feet, holding his stomach and breathing heavily as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The mysterious invader wiped his mouth clean with the back of his hand as Clef took up an offensive stance, prepared to deliver another attack.

"Tell me," the Namekian said, not taking his eyes off of the opponent before him. "Are you one of the Saiyans from Earth?"

The black-clad Saiyan glared at him, slowly assuming a fighting stance of his own. "What the hell are you talking about?" he shouted angrily at the Namekian warrior. "I am the last of my kind, unless you count that pathetic half-breed Miura." The Saiyan continued to glare at Clef. "These so called 'Earth Saiyans' are nothing but a ridiculous story."

The green-skinned warrior only smirked and shook his head. "Sorry, friend, but you're wrong." The Saiyan said nothing as he stared at the Namekian, obvious hatred etched in his features. Clef continued. "Many years ago, when I was just a child, several Saiyan warriors came to planet Namek claiming to be from Earth. There were three of them, and they saved my people from a tyrant called Frieza." Clef smiled when he saw the look of disbelief on the Saiyan's face. "That's right; by now there may be a whole colony of your people living on Earth."

The intruder's face once again became a mask of hatred and anger. "Well, I appreciate this information, weakling. I'd heard, of course, that Frieza had been destroyed, but by a Saiyan? How very fitting." The black-clad warrior slowly began gathering power to himself, forming an aura of blue energy around his body. He let out a scream of rage as his power continued to grow, causing the entire ship to tremble. Clef had to struggle to keep his footing as the metal beneath him began to shudder. The floor around the Saiyan exploded into shrapnel as he dashed toward the Namekian bodyguard.

Clef crossed his arms, forming an X, and raised them before his face as the mysterious Saiyan threw a straight punch, his fist colliding with the Namekian's defense. Clef had underestimated the intruder's strength, and he screamed in pain as he was sent reeling back, only to be caught from behind by the Saiyan warrior. _He's so fast!_ Clef thought in amazement. Before the Namekian warrior had a chance to attempt an attack, he was engulfed in a powerful energy blast that plowed him across the chamber. He slid across the floor and lay there in pain as smoke rose from his charred clothing and flesh. The Saiyan stood on the other side of the empty cargo hold, his body still surrounded by the blue aura.

"Well, it has certainly been fun, my green friend." The black-clad warrior pointed his gloved hand toward the Namekian and began to focus enough energy for a devastating blast. "By the way, the name's Hanzo. Now when God asks, you can tell him who sent you." The Saiyan unleashed his attack on Clef, the blast of energy tearing through the air and making its way toward the Namekian. Time seemed to slow down for Clef as he struggled to his feet, prepared to do what he could against such a powerful force. To the surprise of both fighters, two more energy beams flew into the room. The first, a bright green in color, collided with Hanzo's blast and illuminated the large chamber with a huge explosion of energy. The second, more powerful blast was purple, and it smashed into the right side of the Saiyan warrior, eliciting a scream of pain and frustration from him as it sent him crashing through the wall and into the next chamber over.

Miura flew into the room, heading straight for Hanzo as Zellis dashed toward Clef, catching him just before he fell to the ground, overcome by exhaustion. The room that Hanzo had been blasted into was suddenly illuminated from within by a bright blue light, and the Saiyan warrior burst through the wall with an explosion of energy. Miura's eyes opened wide and he stopped in midair as Hanzo flew towards him, preparing a powerful attack. The young Galdrian dropped to the ground as a bolt of energy tore through the air above him. Miura had no time to react as Hanzo appeared in front of him and gave him a solid kick to the chin, sending the half-Saiyan spiraling toward the ceiling. Hanzo immediately jumped into the air, causing the floor around him to shatter with energy. Miura continued flying upwards, trying in vain to regain his senses as the black-clad Saiyan reached him and pulled his fist back for a devastating blow. Before Hanzo had a chance to strike, he was aware of a new power flying up from below him, and as he looked down he was struck squarely in the face by a ball of green ki. Three more energy orbs followed, striking the Saiyan warrior and causing him to growl in frustration.

Miura gasped in pain as he struck the ceiling of the chamber, all of his breath knocked out of him. He felt someone catch him as he began to fall, and he was set safely on the ground by Zellis, her body emitting a soft green glow and surrounded by an aura of Galdrian energy. Hanzo landed several yards away, glaring with undisguised hatred at the two Hunters while his scorched clothing smoked around him. Miura took a deep breath and assumed a fighting stance next to his adopted-sister.

"Finally," Hanzo said as he flashed a wicked smile. "I've waited so long for this moment, Miura. You are going to die." The Saiyan warrior began to laugh maniacally as an enormous amount of power could be felt welling up from inside his body, causing the chamber to fill up with an ominous wind. The _Gelnika_ began to tremble slightly as Hanzo continued to draw upon some internal source of power, a power unlike anything that the two Galdrians had ever felt before. Miura took a step forward and clenched his fists, his hair and cloak blowing wildly about him.

"Who are you?" Miura shouted as he began to power up also, summoning all of the energy that he could. "Why do you have so much hatred for me when we haven't even met before?" He looked at Zellis questioningly, but she merely shrugged and shook her head, unsure of Hanzo's motives herself. As Miura looked back at his opponent he gasped in surprise, for Hanzo's entire body was surrounded by a bright aura of golden energy that seemed to emanate from within his body. The Saiyan's eyes, which before had been as black as coal, were now a chilling shade of green, and his hair and eyebrows seemed to be outlined in the shimmering golden color of his aura. Hanzo's eyes clenched shut as he let out a shout of exertion, causing a wave of energy to sweep through the cargo chamber.

Zellis and Miura were barely able to hold their ground, and were forced to shield their eyes from the bright flash of energy that emanated from their opponent. When the light had died down, the two Galdrians looked at the Saiyan warrior and gasped in amazement. His aura seemed to flare around him like a golden flame and his hair and eyebrows were now entirely changed from black to a bright shade of golden-yellow. He stood with his arms crossed defiantly over his chest, a cocky smirk clearly evident on his face.

"My name is Hanzo, and now you face the power of a Super Saiyan. Prepare yourselves."

* * *

Seth's hands were a blur as they flew across the control panel.

The clicking of the computer keys echoed through the empty, silent bridge. He stopped for a moment to wipe sweat from his forehead. _It's useless_, the old man thought as he shook his head in dismay. The sudden tremors of the _Gelnika_ had knocked it too close to the planet Applicah, which now appeared to hover just below the large cargo cruiser. Now they were caught in the planet's gravitational pull, and soon the entire ship, not to mention Miura's star cruiser which was still docked to the _Gelnika_, would be sucked into the atmosphere. _I knew I should have spent the extra money for escape pods_, Seth thought as another tremor slammed him into the control panel. The old man turned suddenly, his hand flying to the hilt of his broadsword as a loud grinding sound came from somewhere close behind him.

His eyes widened in surprise as the floor in the center of the bridge seemed to buckle upward, forming a red hot bubble that continued to spread outward. Seth pulled his sword from its sheath and held it before him, prepared for anything. The grinding sound grew louder as something continued to try to burst forth from the level just below the bridge, until the floor began to crack around the bubble. Suddenly the entire center of the room exploded upward in a bright flash of energy. Seth looked on in amazement as Miura, surrounded by a pillar of golden light, was slammed hard against the ceiling of the bridge.

The young Hunter screamed in pain and fell to the ground as the pillar of energy dissipated. Seth ran to Miura, skirting along the edge of the hole in the floor. Upon reaching the young Galdrian, Seth heard another sound coming from inside the small crater. Before the old man could react, a strange warrior, clad entirely in black and surrounded by an aura of yellow energy, burst out of the hole. The mysterious golden-haired warrior held Zellis by the ankle, and he tossed her to the ground near Miura.

The half-Saiyan Hunter struggled to his feet, his cloak charred and torn, blood running down his face from a large gash in his forehead. "Hanzo, you bastard! What have we done to you?" Miura shouted as Seth ran to his side, steadying him as he almost fell to the ground. The young Galdrian looked at him, as if noticing him for the first time. "Seth, go! Get Z and Twilight out of here, this guy's a monster, he's too strong for us!" The old man nodded as he returned his sword to its scabbard and picked Zellis up from the floor, tossing her over his shoulder as he ran toward the exit of the bridge.

Hanzo watched the two of them flee, not attempting to stop them. Slowly he turned his gaze back to Miura and smiled. "Well then, it's just you and I now, as it should have been all along." Hanzo glared at the young half-Saiyan. "And you're finished," he said through clenched teeth. "Look at you, you can barely stand. I'll enjoy killing you, but don't worry about your friends. As long as they stay out of this, I'll consider leaving them alone. No promises though. You understand, right?"

Miura spread his legs beneath him, trying to steady himself as his body began to tremble in rage. Small pieces of metal and debris began to float into the air around the Galdrian, and Hanzo uncrossed his arms and looked on in surprise as Miura's power began to slowly increase. The half-Saiyan looked at the black-clad warrior, contempt clearly displayed on his face. "You won't touch any of them! I won't let you!" Miura shouted in rage as a golden aura sprang up around him, causing his dark hair and the remnants of his cloak to blow fiercely around him.

Hanzo watched in utter amazement as the Galdrian's eyes, usually bright purple, began to change until they were the same shade of green as the Super Saiyan's own. He stumbled back as the _Gelnika_ shuddered again, and this time the shaking was accompanied by an incredibly loud groaning and grinding sound. "Fine then!" the black-clad Saiyan shouted at Miura. "Tear the ship down around us; kill us both for all I care!" Miura let out a scream as energy exploded around him, causing the ship to tilt severely to one side. Hanzo glared at the Hunter, gathering as much power as he could. With a flash of energy, Hanzo flew toward Miura, holding a ball of concentrated ki in his right hand. "Take this!"

Before the Saiyan warrior could strike, Seth, who had returned to help Miura, attacked him from behind, using his broadsword to slash downward with all of his strength. Hanzo screamed in pain as the old man's heavy sword bit deep into his back, causing blood to splatter onto Seth's face. The old swordsman jumped back, tossing his sword aside as he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Miura!" he shouted above the terrible grinding and groaning. "Hold onto something! We're going down!"

The inside of the cargo cruiser became excruciatingly hot as it entered Applicah's atmosphere. As large pieces of the ship began to break apart, the three warriors on the bridge were thrown to the ground, and Hanzo was tossed through the hole in the middle of the chamber. The screams of the mysterious Saiyan warrior were the last things Miura heard as the _Gelnika_ slammed into the ground of planet Applicah.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Initially I went into this chapter thinking that―other than typos and the like―there wouldn't really be much to change. This is one of my favorite chapters, and I was certain that after years of rereading and rewriting it I would be satisfied with the final product. And I was, mostly.

So, in this chapter we are introduced to Seth (you can't really count his appearance in the last chapter), his daughter Twilight, and of course their Namekian bodyguard, Clef, who is a major player throughout "Chaotic Future." I love Namekians. They are, in my opinion, the greatest race in all of DBZ, and I of course had to have my own Namek character for my story. Who can blame me, right?

During the rewrite of this chapter, I decided to put in a small mention about a subject that people have been asking me about since I first wrote "Chaotic Future": what happened to Miura's tail? We know that all Saiyans have them, and that even half-Saiyans (like Gohan) are born with them as well. Now we learn that it was removed at birth by the Galdrians, and why wouldn't it be? They are a people who despise the Saiyans after all, and having a child with a tail running around might've been just a little bit too much for them.

Yet again I came across the issue of Miura and Zellis reaching for their energy rifles, when they would be pretty much useless in a real battle against anyone of Clef's strength. They typically use their weapons to stun their quarry, and if it comes down to real fighting, then they rely upon their own energy and strength.

Like in the prologue, "Forbidden Union," we have a small mention of the events that take place in one of the "Chaotic Future" Side Stories ("Survivor," Pare's Tale). The allusion to this story comes, of course, from Clef this time. And again, I have to warn new readers that reading the Side Stories right now would definitely spoil some key elements of the "Chaotic Future" story.

Another small change I made was when Miura and Zellis first meet Twilight, Seth's daughter. It's mentioned that she is one of the most beautiful women that Miura has ever seen, and I thought that it was important to point out how amazing this was. Miura grew up on Galdria, where the women possess legendary beauty; for Twilight to even compare to them is really something.

Last but not least, I realized that there is never a point where Hanzo tells Miura his name, yet during the battle Miura yells it out… How'd I miss that the first few times around? Anyway, it's fixed now, with Hanzo revealing his name to the heroes just after he goes Super Saiyan.

So, for a chapter that I thought wouldn't need much work, this one turned out to be one of the most extensive rewrites so far! And remember, if you have any questions or comments on the story, feel free to send me a message!

On to the next chapter!

AMdG

* * *

_**In the next chapter:**_

_**Miura and Clef have survived the **_**Gelnika**_** crash, but Zellis and Twilight have been taken by Hanzo. The two warriors rush to face off against the ruthless Super Saiyan, who has a startling revelation for Miura…**_

_**Dragon Ball: Chaotic Future *Redux***_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Hunters Saga, Part III**_

"_**Revelations." **_


	5. Chapter 3: Revelations

**Dragon Ball:**

**Chaotic Future**

_***Redux***_

**CHAPTER 3**

**Hunters Saga, Part III**

"**Revelations."**

Miura's body was flooded with pain as the hot sun beat down on him.

Slowly, ignoring the jolts of pain that coursed throughout his battered body, the young Hunter stood to his feet. His eyes were blinded by the bright sun, and he shielded them with his hand as he tried to gain his bearings. The environment around him appeared to be some kind of desert wasteland, though it may have been otherwise before the crash of the _Gelnika_. Large pieces of the ship lay strewn about, but most of the cruiser remained intact, though it would obviously never fly again. As Miura took a step forward, the pain in his ribs became unbearable, forcing him to his knees. Again the Hunter attempted to stand, but it was no use, and he fell to the ground as darkness overcame him…

* * *

_Three years earlier…_

Miura knelt before his Emperor.

Gilliam, Emperor of Galdria, sat in his personal quarters, having granted Miura's desire for a private meeting. He looked down upon the young nobleman, disappointment clearly evident on his face. The green-haired ruler absently rubbed his chin, contemplating Miura's unusual request. The Emperor stood up and began pacing around the richly decorated room, stopping for moment to stare intently at a large rack of ancient books. He sighed as he returned his attention to Miura.

"I understand your reasons for wishing to leave, Arius. Zellis is very important to you, and you only wish to see that she remains safe." The young nobleman slowly looked up, locking eyes with his Emperor, and his mother's executioner. Gilliam stared coldly back, eventually closing his eyes and shaking his head. After returning to his seat, Galdria's Emperor continued. "You are no fool, so I'll not try and hide it any more. Arius, you will be my Heir… I need you here, to finish your education."

Miura gasped, his eyes widening in surprise. "My Lord, I… I had no idea." Gilliam sighed as he ran his hand through his long, dark-green hair. After lowering his gaze, Miura swallowed hard, unsure of his next words. "Why me? Why allow a _half-breed_ like me to become Emperor?" The young nobleman raised his eyes, seeing to his surprise the look of exhaustion and weariness that now came over Gilliam's face.

"Because there is no one else. And because my daughter is very fond of you," the Emperor replied. "And because I am guilty of things from the past that I cannot now, unfortunately, undo. Arius," Gilliam said quietly, his voice thick with emotion, "your mother was very special to me…" The Emperor was cut off as Miura snorted and stood to his feet, turning his back on his ruler. Gilliam closed his eyes and shook his head, cursing himself for the sins of his past.

"How dare you talk to me about my mother?" the young half-Saiyan whispered through clenched teeth. "I never even knew her because of you; you had her killed because of some antiquated law." Miura looked at Gilliam over his shoulder, his face red with anger. "And now I'm supposed to become the next Emperor, the Emperor of a people who murdered my parents?" Tears of frustration began streaming down Miura's face as he looked away, ignoring Gilliam's expression of undisguised sorrow. With his fists clenched, the young nobleman walked briskly toward the door, stopping long enough to speak once more. "And how dare you talk to me about Elysia? You're the one who's been dead-set against our relationship for years, so don't try to tell me that you're doing this for her." Miura flashed an angry glare at the Emperor, his body trembling as he attempted to hold back more tears. "You're doing this for you. Do you think that Ellia will forgive you if you make me the next Emperor? You poor fool…"

"Arius, wait," Gilliam begged, rising from his seat. "I know that I've wronged you, and I wish with all my heart that I could bring your mother back, but I can't!" The Emperor strode forward, grabbing the young nobleman lightly by the arm. "Just hear me out, please…"

"I've heard enough," Miura said softly as he pulled away from Gilliam's grasp. "I'm going with Z." With that Miura left Gilliam's presence, prepared to accompany Zellis on her Hunter training, regardless of his Emperor's wishes…

* * *

"Look, he's starting to come to!"

Miura's eyes fluttered open as he took in the sight of a dimly lit room around him. He could sense that there were people nearby, but everything else still seemed blurry, and none of the figures that he sensed could be seen.

"Z? Clef? Is that you?" The half-Galdrian Hunter sat up from the soft bed that he'd been lying in as his vision started to clear. He closed his eyes and shook his head as he was struck by a crippling bout of dizziness.

"Just take it easy, son," said a man's voice from off to his right. "You're lucky we found you when we did, otherwise you'd probably be dead right now… Too bad about the others though." The man, who Miura still couldn't make out clearly, sighed. "How many were on your ship anyway? I mean, if you don't mind my asking, that is."

Miura tried to answer, but the man's comment about "others" had caused the words to stick in his throat. After a moment of disbelief, Miura spoke. "What do you mean? What others?" Gradually, as the young Hunter's vision cleared, he saw for the first time the two people who shared the room with him.

The first was man, middle-aged with short dark hair that was streaked with grey. He looked as if he hadn't shaved in days, but his clothes were clean and he looked very fit and healthy. He was dressed strangely, but Miura realized that the clothing―which consisted of loose white pants, a baggy shirt and vest, and a turban-like hat upon his head―marked the man as a desert dweller. His skin was dark, but Miura was unsure if it was a natural color or merely tanned by the hot desert sun. The second person, an old woman, had a similar complexion, though her skin was wrinkled and her hair grey and white. Both had light blue eyes that stood out brightly against their darkened faces.

"You should never have said anything about the other two, Scherez," the old woman muttered to the man. "Now you've gone and worried him, and he isn't even fully recovered!" Slowly the old woman turned her gaze to Miura, and she lowered her eyes and sighed. "We recovered two other folks from the wreckage out there. One, a Namek by the looks of him, isn't doing so well. The other… Well, maybe we ought to just let you see for yourself."

The man, whom the old woman had called Scherez, helped Miura stand to his feet. The young Saiyan was surprised to see that all of his wounds had been tended to, and he was dressed in clean clothing, similar to the desert garb of Scherez. The two strangers led Miura into an adjoining chamber where a second bed was located. A sheet was draped over what appeared to be the form of a sleeping person, but the half-Galdrian knew better.

Miura slowly walked toward the bed, aided by Scherez, and as he went he felt a dread creeping up on him. One of his friends, unless by some miracle it was Hanzo, was lying before him dead. The young Hunter reached for the top of the sheet, and he gasped as he pulled it down, revealing the face of the body. He stood silent for a moment as he closed his eyes, and with a trembling hand he replaced the sheet.

"Seth," Miura whispered. "I'm so sorry… I should have been killed, not you. Hanzo was after me, only me." The half-Saiyan Hunter leaned against the wall and remained silent for a while, untroubled by Scherez and the old woman. After several minutes Scherez cleared his throat and gestured to a third room that lay at the end of a short hallway.

"Perhaps we should take him to the Namek now, Niena," Scherez said as he turned to face the old woman. She nodded and motioned for him to once again assist Miura. Everyone was silent as the three of them moved gradually down the hallway. Niena opened the door as Miura and Scherez entered the third room.

Clef lay unmoving on a bed in the center of the small, dim chamber. His breathing, barely noticeable in the shadowy room, was shallow, but he showed no outwardly visible wounds. "I hate to tell you this, but he probably won't make it," Niena said as she shook her head in dismay.

Scherez rolled his eyes at the old woman. "You don't know that for sure. Nameks are pretty durable, I hear. He may still come out of it." The dark-skinned man guided Miura to a chair in the corner and helped him sit down. "What happened up there, on your ship? How many people were with you when you went down? With a ship that size I'd expect to find a lot more than three people."

Miura, who had had his head bowed with sorrow, slowly looked up. "You mean you only found the three of us, no others?" Scherez shook his head as he leaned against the opposite wall. _Z and Twilight could still be alive somewhere_, Miura thought as a slight glimmer of hope entered his mind. Then his thoughts again turned to darkness as he realized that Hanzo may have lived also. Niena, who had seated herself in a chair next to the bed, stood up and stretched.

"It's still early, and you're still hurt, unless I'm mistaken," the old woman said. "How about we get you some food and drink, then you can introduce yourself and tell us all about these 'others' of yours."

* * *

Miura remained silent, awaiting the reactions of Niena and Scherez.

They had been talking in what appeared to be the kitchen, seated around a small, round table. The two desert dwellers remained quiet for several moments, allowing the young Hunter's story to sink in. Scherez leaned forward in his seat, resting his chin in one hand as he looked across the table at the old woman. Niena, who hadn't spoken a single word as Miura relayed his tale, sat back with a slight scowl on her weathered face. Eventually she spoke, breaking the heavy silence.

"That's quite a story, my young friend," she said to Miura, who had stood up and was now leaning against the wall opposite her. "And if it weren't for the powerful evil presence that I've been feeling since your crash, I probably wouldn't believe you. To think, a Saiyan that somehow escaped Frieza's destruction of planet Vegeta." Miura stared at Niena in surprise, startled that she was able to feel so strongly the negative energy that must belong to Hanzo. She smiled as she noticed the look of amazement that the half-Galdrian tried so hard to conceal. "I know what you're thinking, young one. A planet like Applicah is probably brimming with bad energy, but not like I've been feeling lately. My people have senses that are very in tune with any disturbance to this planet's life force. You see, Scherez and I are the last two native Applicans alive."

"So you're saying that Hanzo survived the crash," Miura muttered. "Damn, I should have known I couldn't be so lucky." Miura stood up straight and stretched the aching muscles of his back and ribs. "That's it then. I have to find him. Maybe he knows what happened to Z and Twilight, if they're still alive." The young half-Saiyan absently rubbed the bandage that covered the large gash in his forehead. "You both know that assisting a Hunter in a time of need will get you a pretty hefty reward, and I intend to return here as soon as I can dig up the necessary funds." With that Miura left the room and made his way to the entrance of the underground desert home.

"Now wait a second, Miura," Scherez said as he and Niena followed the Hunter down the long, up-sloping corridor. "You're in no condition to fight anyone, let alone this Saiyan. Stay here for a while and rest up. Who knows, maybe Clef will even come to and the both of you can find Hanzo, together." Miura stopped and looked at the two strangers who had taken him in and, in all respects, probably saved his life. He was about to turn down the suggestion of Scherez when something behind the two Applicans caught his eye.

"Oh my god," Miura gasped as his eyes widened in surprise. "Clef…" Scherez and Niena whipped around, finding themselves face to face with the injured Namekian. Miura took a few steps forward then stopped. "Stay here Clef; I'll be back as soon as I can."

"No!" the Namekian warrior growled at Miura, one eye twitching with ill-concealed pain. "I think you should reconsider his request, my friend." Slowly Clef made his way toward the young Galdrian, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. "You have a lot of preparations to make before you go looking for Hanzo. If you fight him now, he'll probably tear you apart." Upon reaching Miura, Clef put his hand on the half-Saiyan's shoulder. "Let our wounds heal, and then we'll face him. Together."

* * *

The months passed slowly for the two warriors.

Miura and Clef were now fully healed, and they spent all of their time training and preparing for the battle ahead. As the two warriors focused on the coming conflict, Scherez used all of his resources to locate their missing comrades. Niena, who had devotedly nursed Clef and Miura back to health, remained in the compound, trying with all of her might to "lock on" to the energy signatures of Zellis and Twilight.

Although he had underwent various forms of combat training to become a Hunter, Miura knew that to stand a chance against someone like Hanzo he'd have to master a whole new set of skills. Hanzo was no mere criminal, and his Saiyan fighting techniques had obviously been too much for the young nobleman to handle. So in preparation for the coming battle, Clef had taken it upon himself to teach Miura all that he could regarding an ancient Namekian style of combat. The two warriors had been outside for most of the day, sparring with each other near the unmarked grave where Seth had been laid to rest, when Scherez's hover bike approached the compound from the direction of Felcian, the nearest major city. The desert dweller leapt from his bike almost before it had stopped, and he ran toward Miura and Clef, apparently very shaken up about something.

"Clef, Miura! I've found him!" Scherez shouted as he neared the two exhausted warriors. The half-Saiyan and the Namekian ran toward their dark-skinned companion, desiring to immediately hear his news. "Several acquaintances of mine from Felcian told me that a stranger has been seen around the city of late," Scherez told them as he gasped for breath. "They say he is dressed in a long, hooded cloak in this ridiculous heat! Can you imagine! But that isn't the oddest part. My sources tell me that he desperately seeks information about the crash! He says that he is searching for any of his companions that may have survived!" Miura looked at the Namekian warrior, silently asking for his thoughts on this matter.

Clef looked down for a moment, remaining silent as Scherez finally caught his breath. "How can we know for sure?" the green-skinned warrior asked. "How do we know that this is Hanzo?" Scherez grinned at him, obviously hoping that this question would be asked. Clef glared at him and clenched his teeth as he spoke. "Well, out with it you desert rat!" he shouted, playfully insulting his newfound companion.

"Very well, my friend, very well," Scherez said as he moved closer to the two warriors, as if trying to keep some grand secret. "This particular man is often seen purchasing large amounts of food, enough for say… three people?" Miura's eyes widened in surprise as comprehension dawned on him. "Besides," the desert-dweller said, "my friends from Felcian tell me that the stranger 'gives off a bad aura,' one that they find most unpleasant. And believe me, for these particular individuals to say that this man is unpleasant means quite a lot."

Miura grabbed Scherez by the shoulders and shook him, staring into the desert dweller's light blue eyes. "This means that Twilight and Z may have survived the crash! If this man is Hanzo, I have to know where he is." Scherez merely smiled at the young nobleman as he slowly pulled a slip of paper from his baggy white shirt. Miura released the Applican as he took the paper from his hand. Clef moved behind his young friend, to better see what was written on the slip. The two warriors looked at the writing on the paper, unable to read the strange Applican script.

Scherez laughed as he took the paper back. "It is directions to a secluded spot in the mountains west of here; apparently this unusual fellow is more than happy to reveal his location to anyone who he feels may have information about the _Gelnika_. He seems to be very intent on 'reuniting' with you, my friends."

Miura looked at Clef questioningly. "But why now, after so much time has passed?" he asked. "Why not just track us down and kill us while we were still injured?"

Clef was silent for several moments. Finally he spoke, smiling slightly as he did so. "Isn't it obvious? He must have been just as injured as we were, if not worse." He nodded to himself as he began to laugh softly. "Seth, you old dog, your sword must have bit even deeper than we thought." The Namekian bodyguard turned toward his young companion. "So, what do you think Miura?"

The half-Galdrian looked Clef in the eyes, his face a mask of determination. "We rest tonight, and tomorrow we take him."

* * *

The sun was rising as the two warriors flew over the Applican mountains.

Their farewells had been said earlier that morning, with Miura vowing to return not only for Seth's body, but also to bestow upon the two Applicans his promised reward. After going over the route to the location one more time with Scherez and Niena, Clef and Miura were on their way. They had been flying for little more than an hour when Miura spotted something just ahead.

"There," he shouted to his companion. "I see the clearing that Scherez must have been talking about." Clef narrowed his eyes and looked ahead; sure enough the Namek could see a small valley in the mountains, clear of all trees and other vegetation. Small outcroppings of stone could be seen scattered throughout the clearing, along with something else that caught the attention of the two warriors. On the far west side of the clearing, a small, makeshift shelter had been constructed, and smoke could be seen issuing from what appeared to be a chimney. Clef looked toward Miura and nodded, agreeing with the young Hunter's assumption. The two warriors landed in the middle of the valley, gasping in surprise as a figure emerged from the rough shelter.

"Hanzo," Clef said with a wicked grin. "You don't look so good, friend."

Miura glared at the Saiyan before him, and he was forced to agree with his companion's assessment. Hanzo stood before them dressed in the same clothing he had worn on the _Gelnika_, though by now it was dirty and torn almost beyond recognition. The cloak was smeared with mud and dirt, and it was tattered at the edges. The jumpsuit beneath it was also torn to shreds, and it was a miracle that it was still wearable. Dark circles were visible around the Saiyan's eyes, and his cheekbones could easily be seen in his gaunt face. Hanzo's hair was a mess, filled with dirt and brush, and he now bore a large scar on his forehead, just above his left eyebrow.

The evil Saiyan warrior sneered at his two opponents. "Well, well, out of hiding now? I thought maybe you were killed in the crash. Lucky for me I was wrong." He glared at Miura as he took a step forward. "I don't know what I would have done if my revenge had been stolen from me by some stupid accident…"

"I don't care about your 'revenge' Hanzo. Where are Z and Twilight? If you have them let them go, I'm here now." Miura began walking slowly toward Hanzo, with Clef just a step behind. "You have no reason to keep them now, understand?" Hanzo merely nodded, not taking his eyes off of the two warriors approaching him. The Saiyan took a step back, moving toward the makeshift shelter.

"Alright you two, come on out. You're free to go now." The black-clad Saiyan reached over and opened the small doorway before stepping aside.

Miura gasped in relief as Zellis and Twilight stepped out of the shelter. The girls―while both a little dirty―looked healthy and clean, and no wounds were visible on either of them. They were dressed in desert garb similar to what he and Clef wore, and this surprised the young nobleman after having seen the rags that Hanzo was still dressed in. As he looked over the two young women, Miura noticed that each of them had a strange device strapped to their right leg. The young Galdrian Hunter returned his attention to Hanzo, who smiled slightly as he noticed Miura's observation.

"Just a little security measure, in case either of them tried to escape. You know, you'd be surprised at the kind of cargo I found in the wreckage of the ship after it crashed. There were weapons that even _I've_ never seen before, so I was able to whip up these remote explosives pretty easily." He glared at his two opponents as they stopped in place, prepared to attack. "Now, now, don't worry, I'll remove them. I have no intention of killing these two; they have nothing to do with this."

Hanzo knelt down before the two girls as he removed the explosive devices. After tossing them aside, he stood to his feet, tilting his head toward Miura and Clef. Zellis ran to Miura, throwing her arms around him as tears streamed down her face.

"I thought you'd been killed," she sobbed as she buried her face against his neck. Miura embraced his adopted-sister, kissing her lightly on the forehead. After several moments, Zellis stepped back, wiping her eyes on the long, baggy sleeve of her white desert shirt. "Did you find Seth's body? Twilight and I saw it before Hanzo took us…" Miura nodded, looking to Twilight, who stood just behind Zellis.

Clef lowered his head in shame as Twilight approached him. "Forgive me; I wasn't able to protect your father like I should have." The beautiful young woman walked toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Nonsense, Clef. You've been with us for years, and in that time you've saved us plenty of times." She smiled at him sadly as he looked her in the eyes. "It was an accident. You did everything you could." Tears clouded her maroon eyes as she looked away. "Just promise me that when this is over you'll help me give him a proper burial." Clef nodded as he looked past her to Hanzo, who stood leaning calmly against the small shelter.

Zellis and Twilight stepped aside as Miura and Clef assumed fighting stances. The two girls slowly began moving backward, getting as much space between themselves and the three combatants as possible. Once they were safely into the forest, Miura glared at Hanzo, who still stood quietly in front of the shack.

"Before I'm forced to kill you," Miura said to Hanzo through clenched teeth, "I want to know why you're doing this." Hanzo slowly took several steps forward, leaving only a few feet between himself and the young nobleman. Miura and the Saiyan warrior glared at each other, neither one trying to hide their contempt for the other. "Answer me! You're responsible for Seth's death, and for us being stranded here. You held Twilight and my sister captive for almost six months, and you owe me an explanation!"

Hanzo flashed his two opponents a sinister smile. "Very well; I suppose I owe you something." The mysterious Saiyan turned his back on his enemies, walking slowly toward the shelter. Once he had put some distance between himself and his opponents, Hanzo turned to face them, arms crossed over his chest. "Let me tell you a story. A long time ago, before you were born Miura, there was a Saiyan named Pare, who had managed to escape planet Vegeta's destruction with his wife. For almost twenty years the two of them lived in peace on an uninhabited planet called Iquela, until Pare's wife died while giving birth to their son. Though he mourned the loss of his lover, Pare was proud to have a son, and he was determined to do his best to raise him right. As the years passed, the two Saiyans lived off the land, and with his father's help the boy became a great hunter and fighter. One day, Pare told the boy that he had to leave, that he had dreamed that other Saiyans were still alive on a planet called Earth. The boy was afraid, but his father told him to stay strong and be brave. Pare said that he would be back soon, but that it was too dangerous for the boy to go with him." Hanzo stopped for a moment, barely able to conceal his wrath. He uncrossed his arms and began to pace back and forth as he continued.

"So the boy put on a brave face for his father, and he promised to be strong until Pare returned. Little did the boy know that he would never see his father again, and that his life would soon be turned into a living hell." Hanzo stopped again, standing with his back to Miura and Clef. Looking over his shoulder, Hanzo returned to his tale, speaking softly, as if to himself. "Several years passed, and Pare didn't return. One day, the boy saw a ship land on a nearby island, and he was overjoyed, thinking that his father had finally come home. But it wasn't Pare; it was a band of slavers from a nearby planet. The boy tried to fight off the slavers, but there were too many, and he was taken."

Miura narrowed his eyes, only half-guessing what Hanzo was getting at. "Get on with it," he growled to the Saiyan warrior. "I didn't ask for your whole life story, so quit stalling." Clef stood silently behind his companion, a stunned expression on his face as he listened, guessing more than Miura at what Hanzo was building up to. Miura took a step forward, his body trembling with rage. "I should kill you right now."

Hanzo again turned to face his opponents. "Maybe you're right, but I think you might be better off letting me finish." The mysterious black-clad Saiyan took several steps toward the two warriors before he continued. "Abandoned by his father and sold into slavery, the boy was changed, he was made harder, and he learned for the first time about the cruelties and evils of the universe. As the years dragged painfully by, the boy became much stronger, and eventually he used this new strength to destroy his captors. He spent the next few years of his life searching for any information he could find about his father." Hanzo gave Miura a look of pure hatred that made the young half-Saiyan's blood run cold. "It wasn't long before he found that information."

Suddenly recognition hit Miura, and he gasped in amazement, unable to fully comprehend what it was that Hanzo was saying. "My god," Miura uttered in disbelief. "You can't be serious…" Hanzo remained still, his face contorted with hatred and rage.

"That's right, my friend. Pare was on his way to Earth when his ship malfunctioned and crash landed on a planet full of stuck up, rich, egocentric bastards. A planet called Galdria. He was taken in by a young noblewoman named Ellia de Galdri, and they supposedly fell in love." Hanzo smiled evilly, seeing the look of undisguised shock on Miura's face. "Apparently Pare knocked this noblewoman up before their relationship was made public; before those ignorant fools executed him. That's right, Miura; he was my father. Or should I say, _our_ father?"

* * *

**Author's Notes.**

Well, unlike the last chapter, there really wasn't an awful lot to do with this one. There were the basic spelling/grammar issues that were fixed, as well as splitting a couple of paragraphs, but it was mostly nitpicky stuff that didn't really impact anything at all.

Still, though, there were a couple of things that I felt the need to alter or to elaborate on:

Firstly, in the flashback where Miura and Gilliam are having their little discussion with one another, there was a moment where Gilliam shed a single tear at the memory of Ellia. After reading it through this time, that moment seemed a bit lame, a bit cliché I guess. So, I took it out, because Gilliam just doesn't really seem the type to me to shed a tear like that, even if he really is saddened by something.

Next, while describing Miura's former combat training with the Hunters and how it hadn't really done him any good against Hanzo, I used the line "he (Miura) would have to forget everything that he'd learned…" Looking back now, some six or seven years after I initially wrote it, I _hate_ that line! Like the former alteration, it's just a stupid cliché, and not even true really. Why would Miura have to forget all of that training that he received? It seems to me that _any_ combat training that he'd underwent would be an asset against Hanzo, really.

So, the last change that was made is something I'll have to be careful talking about, as it may be a bit of a spoiler for those who haven't read "Survivor: A 'Chaotic Future' Side Story" yet. But, it involves Clef showing a bit of surprise when Hanzo is telling Pare's story. I recommend you read "Survivor" and you'll know what I mean, and why I made the alteration.

One more minor note, and one that doesn't really impact the story at all. Some readers may find the name of Seth's cargo ship familiar. The _Gelnika_ is actually the name of a sunken Shin-Ra airplane in the popular Playstation game "Final Fantasy VII." I'm a huge fan of that game, and using the name _Gelnika_ was a bit of homage on my part.

So, that about does it for this chapter. And remember to message or email me with any questions or comments you may have!

On to the next chapter!

AMdG


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